My house was built in 1910 and around that same time, trees were planted so that the street would be lined with the most beautiful shade producing trees of all varieties. Sadly, all of these trees are nearing the end of their life and one by one, they are having to be taken down when they start to become dangerous. But living in the City of Roanoke has one more great benefit in that you can have two trees planted in front of your home on the right of way between the street and the sidewalk. This reforestation project will ensure that Roanoke remains a green city and will have avenues planted with trees that make for a beautiful streetscape.

So today was a sad day in front of my house as it was the day the city came to take down one of the last of three remaining original trees on this block. Deadwood pruning had extended the tree’s life for a while, but this year it started to drop limbs the size of large trees with one crashing down on a car parked in front during a spring windstorm. So it was time for the tree to go and late this morning came a knock on the door by the Grim Tree Reaper.

So as things progressed, I took a few shots to remember the last few minutes of the life of a tree that had served many, many generations that have come and gone on this block.

The guys who took care of things were nice enough to oblige my request for a slice of the trunk that I am going to turn into a coffee table for one of the porch chair groupings. That’ll be a pretty cool memorial and proof that trees provide a lasting benefit to everyone. Take care of your trees, they don’t grow overnight and you sure do miss them when they have to go.

I spend a lot of time in the woods, most of it on mountain bike trails (well known and secret ones, too!) all over Mill Mountain, or Carvin’s Cove, or Brush Mountain and Pandapas Pond. For me it’s a place for spiritual renewal, a realignment so to speak with the simple Earth. The simple Earth doesn’t have wireless anything, or perhaps it has wireless everything, depending on how you look at it.

For me, climbing a hill on a bike is the best part. It’s a time of focus on your effort, but it also affords the most opportunity to really look at everything around you. You don’t often see anything on the fast paced downhills, just what is immediately in front of you, and all that is a blur. But the uphill is slow and steady.

In a way, it’s almost opposite of life. In life, the uphill is the struggle and the focus where we sometimes lose our ability to see everything around us. In life, the downhill is the easy ride where we take it all in to enjoy.

Either way, cheers to all of the uphills and downhills in life. We need ’em both to get the thrill!

When I moved into the nabe five years ago, it was late one night as I was unpacking a load from the car and there came this friendly little hello from the porch next door. I couldn’t see who it was, but it was certainly a welcoming tone from the impish little voice coming through the railing. He always spoke in “uptalk” as I liked to call it, his little voice ending in crescendo with every phrase or sentence. As it turned out he would be there with the same cheery greeting whenever you saw him.

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I could see this little two year old standing there with his father, barely able to see through the railing. He was my welcoming committee, and over the next few years, he and his mom and dad would become the best friends and neighbors you could ever want.

Then the move. You hate it when people you come to know and love find circumstance pulling them away from you. It doesn’t seem fair to anyone, but you kind of have to accept it. The only bonus is when they come back to visit and you get to reconnect. Watching those kids change and grow leaves you with strange sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Like you’re somewhat a part of their history so you get credit for their future, too. Hey, I knew you when you were barely able to talk and look at you now.

It leaves you feeling a little older, too!

Well, like most young families, they grow a bit here and there. Theirs did, too. Now there is Lucy, little sister of Eli. Just as cute and about the same age now as the little fellow who greeted me from the porch all those five years ago.

Last year I snapped a few pics of them while they were here. This year, I updated Lucy’s picture while her mom fed her a bowl of cereal at my table. They’re both awesome kids, and adorable…..even with a face full of Gerber’s. Here’s to great neighbors and the people who become such a part of your life, just because you moved in next door.

I can’t even say enough about this movie to describe how beautifuly filmed, acted, edited, soundtracked……. it was perfect. In fact, about half way through it, the film jammed and burned a hole in the frame it stopped on. We all thought it was part of the editing effect. So how many movies have you seen where there was a technical failure that kept you captivated???

It was playing at The Grandin but I’m not sure it is still there ’cause I looked on their site and couldn’t find it. It was packed on Wednesday night so hard to believe that it was at the end of its run there. If it is….don’t miss it. If it’s gone…..find it. You’ll be SO glad you did.

Nothing seems to shout summer louder than a sunflower. Hooray for those hot summer days….I LOVE it!

My eye has always been attracted to them wherever I go, and at my house they’re game for front of the house planting as well as out back where most people like to put them.

Nowadays, they make them in awesome varieties. Some giant, some tall, some only 18″ high. All different colors. I must say, the old fashioned giant sunflower is still my favorite.

It won’t be long before the Cardinals come chomping on them as the seeds start to ripen. But, I can wait as the end of summer won’t be far along after that.

What is summer without a trip to camp!? When I was just a pup it was the highlight of my summer to go off to camp. That meant a week of semi-independent freedom and plenty of new friends and some old ones, too. Of course water was always a big part of any camp experience whether it was the pool at church camp or the lake at 4-H camp.

Fortunately for me, I still get to go to camp every summer. It’s just not exactly filled with activities like making beaded Indian headbands or the Womanless Beauty Contest (second runner up in the 4th grade). But it still has plenty of water and lots of old friends, and every year a few new ones make it up there, too.

So for the past few weeks I have been at Camp, which for the uninitiated southerner is the Yankee term for a shack, cottage, or house at the lake. You see, they would never say anything like “We’re going to the lake house for the weekend” but rather “We’re going up to Camp”. Means the same thing, but I suppose it takes some of the pretentiousness out of the former. Ours happens to be right on the lake, but a camp doesn’t have to be and lots are built behind the main lake front camps, and those are called “backlotters”. It all makes for a laid back and relaxing atmosphere that seems uniquely Adirondack life.

Camp is located in South Broadalbin, New York and it is right at the southern tip of the Adirondacks. It is on The Great Sacandaga Lake which just happens to be one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. Camp is located at the widest part of the lake so it is around 5 miles from shore to shore at that point. The Adirondack mountain range makes for a scenic back drop to our beach, and there is also a small island appropriately named Sand Island about a half mile off shore which lends itself to the recreational charm and beauty of Camp as well. Here’s a shot from the beach…

Camp was built in 1932 and is nothing short of perfectly charming and homey. It is vintage and authentic, inside and out. The large wrap around porch filled with rocking chairs, games, card tables, and an icy cold 1930’s GE fridge are almost all you need. Add to that a huge lawn, private beach and gorgeous view….you just can’t go wrong. Anyone interested in exploring beautiful New York state couldn’t go wrong with a stay at Camp, and it is available for rental all but the two weeks we have in July. Check it out here if interested.

Well, getting back to our stay this year, it seems everyone had a great time. The weather was a little crazy (seems to be a New York thing this year….snowstorm in the middle of April should have been a warning) as I don’t think it got up past 65 on July 4th, but there were some awesome summer sun-filled days as well.

Didn’t get out to other locales around Camp for exploring as much as I would have liked but there was plenty going on around Camp for entertainment. Around the Fourth, lot’s of friends and family started showing up to spend the holiday with us and we had a spectacular fireworks show that thrilled the kids and scared the dogs as usual.

So now I’m back and actually enjoying all that is going on in Roanoke, too. Great friends and a great city make for a great Life. Lot’s of nice clients and potential clients are making for a busy end of summer, but I suppose I will get in a short trip or two before fall rolls around.

Life is good…..but does it ever fly by. So make the best of it and don’t wait for retirement to enjoy it all and get out! Here are just a few shots from my trip. My family, my friends, the places and things that make my Life great.

Hope you’re enjoying your summer!

Thursday was a beautiful summer day and what a better way to spend it than in downtown Roanoke to participate in the celebration of our new Art Museum of Western Virginia by signing and then watching the last piece of structural steel be hoisted and fitted on the west roof.

I am a HUGE advocate of this generous gift and am certain that even the critics will be convinced that this is a great thing for Roanoke once the building is completed. It will be stunning as we can already tell by this artists rendering..

So here are a few shots of the signing and hoisting event and then I’ll close this blog with a few shots of the fountain in front of the #1 Fire Station. It was indeed a gorgeous day!!

Then, I wandered on over to the fountain in front of Fire Station #1 and took a few shots….

What do you think this one below looks like…….I’m thinking panther…

Tripped up to Assateague last Saturday for what was to be a week of camping at the beautiful Assateague Island National Seashore. Arrived to find the camping area full of happy families with children riding their bicycles up and down the road. Everyone’s happy as a clam in a salt marsh….which they have by the way.

Well….within 24 hours there was a massive invasion of salt marsh mosquitoes that chased away almost every camper in the bayside area. A few of us toughed it out over the next several days, but it was pretty challenging.

The incredible thing about this particular mosquito is its unrelenting activity throughout the day. Most mosquitoes are pretty active in the early morning and particularly late evenings for about an hour or so. At least that has been my experience. Well, not the salt marsh mosquito. This little bugger stays up all day long. And I’m not talking about the occasional unit landing on your leg with a behind the calf surprise attack. I’m talking 30-40 beasts swarming you as soon as you exit a tent or screen house. Deep Woods Off helped a lot, but quickly became ineffective.

It was no question why most of the campers left as most had no screen house. But as a frequenter of buggy coastal National Parks, where there is no insect control spraying, I’m pretty up on the necessity of the screen house and it is a staple of the car camping venture now. Am I ever glad I had one on this trip.

All in all the trip was great, even though a bit shorter than expected. The horses were everywhere but the beach so I didn’t shoot them this trip. Did take a well led canoe tour of the bay (also surprisingly skeeterless) and that was pretty cool. The guide was an Assateague veteran and I had a lot of fun on that…

So all in all, got a lot of sun and a little more car trippin’ up the coast of Delaware and MD to Bethany and Rehobeth which are pretty cool little costal towns. I really liked Bethany which has a small village appeal and that northern east coast charm.

Cheers

Tripped up to DC last weekend to see Dale and Caroline who are back in the States from Jakarta. They’re here for about two months  where they can catch up with their peeps and show off their cute as a button, brand spankin’ new baby Allison.

It was great to see them as the last time was at their wedding there more than two years ago. We hung out with them Saturday and Sunday in between their visits to  other family and friends.  We strolled around Sunday with them, went to the Sunday market in Dupont Circle and then took the Metro down to Pennsylvania Ave and the Mall.

This is one of the coolest new building facades I have seen in DC and there is building everywhere there now. The pic doesn’t do it justice but I tried. A little too overcast to show off the brilliant colors of limestone, but the carving is pretty clear…

Capital Pride was having their parade and festival on Penn Ave this weekend so we all walked around through that (some bitchin antique cars on display there)….

and then over to the National Mueum of the American Indian which had been on the must see list for some time.  This museum is spectacular in design inside and out. Just a real joy to hang out there and look at all the detail. Crowds are nowhere near where they were when it first opened. I think back then you had to stand in line for about 2 hours just to get in. Here are a few shots inside and out…

It was an awesome weekend. Stayed at The Brickskeller Inn. While not exactly fancy, it’s in a great DC location, reasonable,  and has the famous Brickskeller bar on the first floor. The Brickskeller has the world’s largest beer list with over 4000 beers. Just about any beer you could possibly want. Great atmosphere in a premier DC neighborhood.

Saturday was kind of an unexpected treat with the Capital Pride Parade starting right outside our hotel. No question there was a lot of pride in that parade and the crowd was huge. It looked like everyone in DC came out for it, and just about anyone with local name recognition was in it. I’ll close this with a few shots of the parade….it was hard to contain myself with all that COLOR !!

Awesome new restaurant opened in Grandin Village recently and I would be certain this one is here to stay. The Issacs Restaurant (there is a menu on their web site) specializes in Eastern Mediterranean foods with salads, appetizers, sandwiches, and entrees a VERY reasonable prices. I think the three of us got a good sampling of the menu offerings and everything was delicious.

Apparently they are going to be open for breakfast as well, trying to fill a need in the Grandin area for quick full blown breakfast fare at reasonable prices.

I feel so fortunate to live withing easy walking distance of both Downtown Roanoke and Grandin Village. Really, Grandin has everything you really need with the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-Op and the Mick or Mack, The Grandin Theater, a book store, Pop’s Ice Cream and Soda Bar (with it’s fine weekend entertainment!), a furniture store, consignment shop, pharmacy, and coffee shop. Not to mention all of the great restaurants.